When Hollywood's script-passers and power-lunchers need to escape the part of their lives so glamorously depicted in Entourage and Us Weekly, they wander down to Venice, a delightfully revived indie neighborhood reserved for art-minded and local-leaning Angelenos. Along Abbot Kinney Boulevard, there's a daily fish-filled menu at the Tasting Kitchen, locally designed bikes at Linus, and, just a few blocks away, jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth's home, where she regularly throws tequila-fueled dinner parties on her patio overlooking the canals.

"It's literally my favorite thing to do," says the 35-year-old Venice native, who speaks almost exclusively in charming, drawn-out superlatives and exudes the kind of SoCal coolness, from her tall, Tracy Anderson–toned body to her "I don't own a brush" beachy waves, that's reflected in her bright gems and refined bohemian jewelry−"Avoid calling it 'boho chic;' it's my least favorite word in the whole universe!"−dangling from the ears and necks of Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, and Jessica Alba.

Tonight, she's invited 25 or so close friends to celebrate her new diamond collection, which she debuted in April at Barneys New York (and sold 70 percent of in 10 days) and this month will launch at the department store's Beverly Hills post. "I hate going out. Hate it," she says. Even if it's last minute, "I totally do not have preparty anxiety. Like the time I had 50 people here, I got off a plane at 3 p.m. and had guests at eight." Typically, she'll cook, but like any seasoned hostess, she knows how to delegate. Brooklyn-based artist, friend, and "the most hysterical human being ever," Julia Ziegler-Haynes prepares the menu (lamb chops, couscous, stone fruit and fig salad, and for dessert, lavender ice cream), enlisting help from boyfriend Chris Bear of folk-rock band Grizzly Bear. Neuwirth's writer-director beau Phil Lord strings light-bulbs over the dinner table.

But for Neuwirth, the guest list is too personal to outsource. "Literally, every single person I invited is a really good friend," she says. Which includes Judd Apatow and actress-wife Leslie Mann (with daughters Iris, 9, and Twitter It Girl Maude, 13), actress Lake Bell, Little Joy's Binki Shapiro, Decades owner Cameron Silver, and funny couple Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, who provided the dinner's soundtrack with his ecstatic groans over Ziegler-Haynes' addictive corn pudding.

The toast, however, came from Neuwirth's close friend, actress Busy Philipps: "To our dear friend Irene, for letting us wear her gorgeous jewelry," she says, before sarcastically adding, "which you all get to keep!" Neuwirth, ever cool, just rolls her eyes and smiles.

1.
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high, and using a paper towel or kitchen rag moistened with vegetable oil, wipe the grill bars down so fruit will not stick.

2.
Slice peaches and plums in half and remove pits. Drizzle them with olive oil and place cut side down on the grill for 5 minutes, flip and repeat. Remove from heat and set aside.

3.
Slice figs in half and heat a skillet over high heat. After 2 minutes add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat for 1 minute longer. Place figs cut side down in the hot oil, searing them for 2-3 minutes or until their cut sides are golden brown. Remove from heat.

4.
Add a pinch of cayenne to honey, and stir to combine.

5.
On the platter on which you are serving the salad, scatter watercress, then slice the grilled peaches and plums into quarters and arrange on platter. Spoon out fresh ricotta in dollops across the platter, and add figs.

6.
Finally, drizzle spicy honey lightly across the top, along with a few leaves of watercress.

GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO DRESSING

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2-3 small hearts of romaine

1 pint cherry tomatoes

For dressing:

1 large ripe heirloom tomato

2 anchovies

1/3 c grated Parmesan

1/2 c EVOO

3 cloves garlic

juice of 1/2 a lemon

For garlic breadcrumbs:

2 thick slices of nice flavorful bread

1 large clove of garlic

1 tablespoon EVOO

sea salt

Directions:

1.
Preheat toaster or oven to 300 degrees, tear sliced bread into pieces and lay on a baking sheet. Toast until dry and crispy but not browned. Remove from the oven, and fry in a skillet with 1 tbsp of EVOO and 1minced garlic clove until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool, and then pulse in the food processor until fine breadcrumbs are formed.

2.
Turn heat up on the oven to 400 degrees. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, toss with salt, pepper and olive oil and roast on a baking sheet in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until they start to caramelize and turn brown. Set aside to cool.

4.
In the food processor, combine the heirloom tomato, 1/3 cup Parmesan, EVOO and slivered garlic mixture. Add lemon juice. Pulse to combine. In a mortar and pestle, pound 2 anchovies and one garlic clove to a paste. Add this to the food processor and pulse to combine.

5.
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high. Slice romaine hearts lengthwise down the middle, being careful to keep the stem intact. Lightly coat hearts with oil. Grill face down until outer leaves look slightly singed, flip and repeat. Remove and place on a serving platter.

6.
Dressing will be thick so pour it liberally over the hearts that are arranged on the platter, scatter roasted tomatoes over the top and sprinkle with garlic breadcrumbs.

2.
In a medium-size saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add couscous and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until it starts to turn slightly toasted brown. Add stock, bring to a boil, and then turn down heat and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed.

3.
Meanwhile, mandolin the fennel bulb on the thinnest possible setting. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat until it starts to foam, add saffron, and stir.

4.
Add the currants, fennel, and wine, then reduce over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

1.
Heat the honey and lavender together. As soon as it bubbles, remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.

2.
Pour the cream in a mixing bowl and set aside.

3.
Whisk 5 egg yolks in a separate bowl and set aside.

4.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and salt over medium- low heat. Once the sugar and salt have dissolved, pour the liquid into a large measuring cup.

5.
Slowly pour the warm milk into the eggs, whisking rapidly. Then pour mixture back into the saucepan and warm over low heat. Add the honey and lavender. Continually stir with a rubber spatula, making sure the egg mixture forms a silky, smooth custard. When the custard is thick enough to coat the spatula, immediately pull from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into the cream.

6.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and process according to your ice cream maker's instructions.

For the pine nuts:

Ingredients:

1/3 cup pine nuts

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp maple syrup

EVOO

sel gris

Directions:

1.
Heat maple syrup in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat until it bubbles. Add butter and melt completely.

2.
Toss in pine nuts and coat with mixture, stir occasionally while liquid reduces to a sticky almost taffy like consistency.

3.
Pour onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Let cool to room temperature and then place sheet in refrigerator to cool completely.